100 Activities for Bored Teens (No Screens)

Looking for screen-free activities for teens? Read on for our list of 100 fun ideas.

Bored teens usually turn to one thing—screens. But too much time playing video games, texting, watching YouTube, and binge-watching TV isn't healthy for anyone.

So the next time your teen says, "I'm bored," show them this list of 100 things they can do to pass the time. It includes both solo activities for teens and things they can do with siblings or friends, including fun games for teens, crafts for teens, outdoor activities, cooking projects, and more.

Our Teen and Tween Activities Guide offers more guidance on raising your no-longer-little kids, from our Teen and Tween Gift Guide to ideas for college care packages.

What would your self-portrait look like? Photo by maahid courtesy of Pexels

Great Crafts for Teens

1. Draw a Self-Portrait

Get out some pencils, look in the mirror, and draw a self-portrait. You may be surprised at the way you see yourself!

2. Design a Tie-Dye T-Shirt

All you need are some colorful Sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol to make a fun tie-dye t-shirt.

3. Make Slime or Oobleck

There's something so satisfying about whipping up a batch of ooey-gooey slime or Oobleck. Check out our round-up of five simple slime recipes or our step-by-step guide to making Oobleck.

4. Paint Kindness Rocks

Then hide them throughout your neighborhood for others to find!

5. Make Friendship Bracelets

If you're a Swiftie, you probably already have tons of beaded friendship bracelets. How about making some bracelets out of old t-shirts? Find out how with our recycled t-shirt friendship bracelet tutorial.

6. Make a Paper Airplane

Our instructions on how to make the best paper airplane include links to free printables if you need extra help.

7. Learn Origami

Get a set of origami paper and learn the Japanese art of paper folding.

RELATED: Crafts for Kids: 100 Awesome Art Projects

Make a solar oven out of a pizza box, aluminum foil, black construction paper, and a few other basic supplies.

8. Create a Solar Oven

No firepit? No problem! Use an old pizza box and some other other supplies to craft a solar oven, then use it to bake s'mores. Learn how in our guide to making a solar oven.

9. Make a Squirt Gun Painting

Find out how to paint with water guns. Make sure you do this one outside!

10. Learn to Sew

Our roundup of the best sewing machines for kids includes some easy sewing tutorials for beginners, including pillowcases and patchwork quilts.

11. Make a Scrapbook

Scrapbooking is a great way to be creative and to document special times in your life. You can make it a themed scrapbook—sports, school, etc.—or just a mix of things you want to remember.

12. Make a Lava Lamp

You can make a cool new room accessory out of a wide bottle or vase, food coloring, vegetable oil, water, and an Alka-seltzer tablet.

13. Create Sidewalk or Driveway Art

Sidewalk chalk isn't just for little kids. Use it to create a colorful mural or write inspiring messages on your driveway or sidewalk.

14. Create Seashell Crafts

If you have a seashell collection from past beach trips, get crafty with them. Some of the ideas on our list of seashell crafts are perfect for teens.

15. Make a Paper Fortune Teller

Learn how to make a fortune teller here, then have fun using it with friends and family.

RELATED: 100 Field Day Games and Activities

Cornhole is a fun game to play outdoors. Photo courtesy of the Hila Outdoors store on Amazon

Fun Games for Teens

16. Cornhole

Challenge a friend or sibling to a game of cornhole, or just play on your own and try to beat your score.

17. Would You Rather

Would you rather be bored, or ask yourself some of these 100 "Would You Rather" questions?

18. Card Games

Rummy, War, Blackjack... it's amazing how many fun games you can play with one deck of playing cards. We share 25 of them in our list of card games every kid should know.

19. Board Games

Our list of the 100 best board games for kids includes so many great options for teens. A few of our favorites are Catan, Codenames, and the classic Scattergories.

20. Hide and Seek

No matter how old you get it, this classic game will always be fun. You'll just have to get more creative to fit yourself into small spaces!

21. Charades

Charades is fun if you and a group of friends are bored. Take turns acting something out without using words, and the other players have to guess what you're acting out.

22. Pictionary

You don't need the actual board game to play Pictionary. Just take turns drawing something while the other players try to guess what it is.

23. Try Not to Laugh

You and your bored friend or sibling can take turns making funny faces, telling jokes, and doing anything else you can think of to try to get the other person to laugh.

24. Staring Contest

In this game, you and your opponent stare into each other's eyes. The first person to blink or look away is the loser.

25. Arm Wrestling

Test your arm strength against a friend's by having an arm wrestling contest.

26. Thumb Wrestling

In this less-painful version of arm wrestling, two players curl their fingers around each other with their thumbs up and try to pin down their opponent's thumb.

27. Stack the Cup

Gather plastic cups and see how many you can stack without them falling down. If you have one or more friends with you, try Speed Stack: Whoever can stack the most cups in one minute, wins.

28. Keep It Up

See how long you can keep a balloon in the air (or how many times you can tap it) without it touching the ground. If you have several players, try it with more than one balloon. The more balloons in the air, the crazier things get!

29. Pickleball

If your local park has a pickleball court, try the sport with a friend or sibling and see why it's become so popular.

RELATED: 70 Life Skills Your Kid Needs Before College

Homemade pizza is always a win! Photo by Ally Noel

Cooking Projects for Teens

30. Make Pizza

No need to order in with our list of quick pizzas and pizza dough recipes.

31. Bake a Cake in Minutes

It's true—these easy mug cake recipes take only minutes to make!

32. Make Tacos

It doesn't have to be a Tuesday to be Taco Night. Make dinner for the family with these five yummy taco recipes.

33. Make Homemade Butter

All you need is heavy cream, a sealable jar, a clean marble, and our easy recipe.

34. Whip Up a No-Bake Dessert

Satisfy your sweet tooth without turning on the oven with one of our easy no-bake dessert recipes, which includes everything from homemade ice cream to Dirt Dessert.

35. Make Hot Chocolate Bombs

Our recipe for hot chocolate bombs has just five easy steps.

RELATED: The Most Irresistible Dessert Board Recipes for Kids

Mocktails for everyone! Photo by Jodi Mercier

36. Mix Up a Mocktail

You don't have to be over 21 to enjoy a fun, refreshing drink. Make yourself one of these fun mocktails.

37. Try a TikTok Recipe

Cook a dinner the whole family will love with one of these 20+ TikTok recipes. Tortilla pizza or peanut butter ramen, anyone?

38. Make Homemade Pop-Tarts

It's up to you whether you want to share them with your siblings or friends!

39. Bake Cookies

Trust us—our 10 best Christmas cookie recipes are delicious any time of year.

40. Make Rock Candy

Our rock candy tutorial is part recipe, part science experiment, with a wholly delicious result.

RELATED: 100 Sports and Hobbies for Kids to Try

Practice your ollies, kick turns, and other skateboarding tricks. Photo courtesy of Virginia State Parks on Flickr

Outdoor Activities for Teens

41. Go Skateboarding or Rollerblading

Dust off the skateboard and learn some new tricks. Or, put on rollerblades and go for a spin around the neighborhood.

42. Go for a Bike Ride

Try different routes or trails, and make sure you wear a helmet!

43. Cruise the Neighborhood On A Ride-On Toy

Our list of the best kids' ride-on toys includes hoverboards, dune buggies, electric skateboards, and other fun rides for tweens and teens.

44. Take a Hike

Try one of these fun hiking games, or just look around and enjoy nature.

45. Go for a Run

Running is great exercise, and you can challenge yourself to increase your speed or distance each time you run.

46. Jump Rope

See how many jumps you can do in a row, or try one of these 20 jump rope games to keep things interesting.

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Bunch O Balloons provide the perfect entertainment on a hot day. Photo courtesy of the Zuru Amazon Store

47. Have a Water Gun or Water Balloon Fight

Gather friends on a hot day and have a neighborhood water gun or water balloon battle. Zuru Bunch O Balloons make it easy to fill many balloons quickly. When you run out of balloons, try some of these other fun water games for kids.

48. Plant a Garden

Our backyard gardening guide will help you get started.

49. Wash the Car

If you don't have your own car, wash the family car. You just may score enough brownie points to earn driving time in the future!

50. Go Backyard Camping

Our Backyard Camping Guide will give you some tips and fun ideas.

51. Play Frisbee or Catch

If you're bored with a friend or sibling, head outside to toss around a football, play catch with a baseball, or throw a Frisbee back and forth.

52. Fly a Kite

If you don't have a kite, learn how to make a paper one here.

RELATED: 40 Classic Outdoor Games for Kids

Shooting hoops is a great way to blow off steam. Photo courtesy of the Baltimore Parks and Recreation Department

53. Shoot Some Hoops

If you don't have a basketball hoop, head to the local park. You may even be able to join a pickup game!

54. Mow the Lawn

If your lawn is cut, see if any neighbors need help with theirs. You may even earn a few bucks!

55. Have a Nerf Battle

Dig out those Nerf blasters and start a neighborhood war with friends.

56. Go Geocaching

Learn all about this fun activity in our geocaching post.

Outdoor Activities for Teens On Snow Days

57. Go Sledding

The bigger the hill, the more fun this will be.

58. Have a Snowball Fight

Gather up your siblings and neighbors and have the ultimate snowball battle.

59. Build A Snowman or Snow Fort

Do you wanna build a snowman? You do—trust us! You can also build a nice snow fort to store your snowballs in.

60. Make Snow Angels

Because sometimes you just have to let your inner child out!

61. Shovel Driveways

Offer up your services to make some extra cash, or simply do it as a favor to elderly neighbors.

RELATED: "I'm Bored, What Should I Do?" 100 Things To Do When Kids Are Bored

Yoga is a great relaxation exercise for teens. Photo courtesy of Canva

Exercise Activities for Teens

62. Yoga

Yoga strengthens both the mind and body. If you're new to yoga, learn some simple yoga poses from Nemours TeensHealth.

63. Jumping Jacks

Get moving with classic jumping jacks. See how many you can do before you need a break.

64. Push-Up Challenges

Bored with a friend? See who can win these push-up challenges. The winner gets bragging rights—and muscles!

65. Plank Challenges

See how long you can hold a plank. Learn the proper form for a plank here.

66. Sit-Ups

How many sit-ups can you do in a row? Or how many can you do in one minute?

67. Wall Sits

Stand with your back flat against a wall. Slide down the wall until your legs are bent at a perfect 90 degrees. Hold your arms straight out in front of you. How long can you hold this position? It's harder than it looks!

68. Bridges

Lie on your back with your legs bent and the soles of your feet on the floor. Push your body up into a shoulder bridge. See how long you can hold the bridge, or how many times you can pulse up and down without having to stop.

69. Tumbling

Perfect your cartwheel, handstand, forward roll, and other tumbling and gymnastics moves.

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Gather up your favorite products and have a spa day. Photo by Ally Noel

More Fun Activities for Teens

70. Have a Spa Day

Gather up some of our favorite teen skincare products and pimple patches, then pamper yourself with an at-home spa day.

71. Read a Book

Our list of 100 kids' books every child should read before they grow up has some great tween and YA picks, like Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, and The Giver by Lois Lowry.

72. Learn Some Magic Tricks

Check out our list of 20 easy magic tricks to wow your friends and family with.

73. Get Creative with Hair Chalk

Try one of our easy hair chalk ideas and give yourself a colorful new look.

74. Learn New Life Skills

We have a list of 70 life skills every teen needs to know before college, from tying a tie to changing a light bulb. It's never too early to start checking them off!

75. Learn Some New Tongue Twisters

Our list of totally terrific tongue twisters will give you lots of fun (and sometimes maddening) speaking challenges.

76. Have Fun with Alexa

There are lots of fun games you can play on Alexa, and funny things you can ask her to do. Start with our lists of 25 Alexa games and 40 funny things to ask Alexa.

77. Set Up a Scavenger Hunt for Your Younger Siblings

Creating a scavenger hunt can be just as much fun as doing one. Our list of indoor and outdoor scavenger hunt ideas for kids can help you get started.

78. Have a Pillow Fight

If you have at least one other bored friend or sibling, grab some pillows and battle it out. Just avoid hitting faces!

79. Journal

Journaling is a great way to get our your thoughts and feelings. If you don't have an official journal, any notebook will do!

80. Make a Time Capsule

Fill a box with special items from your current life, like photos, a school assignment, a newspaper, etc. You can also write a letter to your future self and put it inside. Then put the box in the attic or in a closet to open in the future.

81. Write and Mail a Letter (Not an Email) to a Friend or Relative

Ask them to send you a letter in return. You'll get a hit of happiness when you find it in your mailbox!

82. Put Together a Puzzle

Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to pass the time. If you get one you love, you can even frame it after you finish and hang it in your room.

83. Call a Friend or Relative

Have a phone chat with someone you don't often see and catch up on each other's lives.

84. Clean Your Room

You'll feel better when your room is free of clutter, and you can donate items you no longer need to charity.

85. Learn Calligraphy or Cursive

Practice writing in calligraphy or cursive with The Modern Calligraphy Notebook for Teens and Adults or the Cursive Handwriting Workbook for Teens. Read more about learning cursive here.

RELATED: 25 Random Acts of Kindness Ideas for Kids

 
Volunteering is a rewarding way for teens to spend their free time. Photo by Wendi Wu, courtesy of the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department

86. Volunteer

Visit VolunteerMatch to find local volunteer opportunities or ways you can volunteer at home, like writing letters to troops or making treats for dogs at animal shelters.

87. Learn or Practice an Instrument

Got a piano, guitar, or other instrument that's been collecting dust? Now's the time to show it some love.

88. Have a Dance Party

Blast some of your favorite tunes and and have a dance party, either solo or with friends. Or, try one of these TikTok dances!

89. Zone Out to Your Favorite Album

Have you ever sat and listened to your favorite album in order from start to finish? If not, try it!

90. Sing Karaoke

We like the KingCi Mini Karaoke Machine, but you can also just sing along to the radio!

91. Listen to a Podcast

Not in the mood to listen to music? Try a podcast! Common Sense Media has a list of great podcasts for tweens and teens.

92. Meditate

Meditation and breathing can really help to ease stress and anxiety. Learn some meditation techniques here.

93. Pop Some Bubble Wrap

It is weirdly satisfying! You can also try one of our hilarious bubble wrap games.

94. Do a Crossword Puzzle, Word Search, or Sudoku Puzzle

They're a great way to exercise your mind!

95. Interview Your Grandparents

Learn about your grandparents and about life in the past with our list of 101 questions to ask grandparents about their lives.

96. Learn to Juggle

Grab some soft balls or other objects and teach yourself to juggle. Start with two items, then add a third as you get better.

97. Write a Poem or Short Story

Get those creative juices flowing and write your next masterpiece.

98. Do a Random Act of Kindness

Brighten someone's day with one of our 25 random acts of kindness.

99. Count Your Money

Empty out your piggy bank, wallet, and the couch cushions and count up your change and bills. You can even bring coins to most banks to deposit into an account or trade in for paper money.

100. Have Fun with LEGO Bricks

Pull out your old LEGO bricks and build a masterpiece, or try some of our ideas for 101 fun things to do with LEGO bricks.

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